Untitled
by LL2
Summary: Clark/Lana. New Chapter up! it's fixed! Finally...
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Hi! This is my first attempt on writing a fic, so. be nice! Oh and please review. thanks! Oh and by the way, this is currently untitled. Please help me out with the title, maybe we could in the succeeding chapters, but I don't know if you could come up with a title right now considering how short this chapter is. but if you can then, great! Thanks again!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them. blah, blah, blah. blah, blah. (get the picture?)  
'Lana's hair is so mesmerizing. Hey, it's silkier today, is it? Isn't it always? I think it grew a quarter of a centimeter since yesterday. Oh and look at that.'  
  
Clark's thoughts were disrupted when his teacher cleared his throat obviously annoyed with the lack of attention and enthusiasm from his class that staring at other people's hair was much more interesting.  
  
"So, as I was saying, I will pair you up and assign you to make a report on a certain topic," the substitute teacher, Mr. Henderson announced to his students. "Okay, Anna Roberts, you'll be working with. Nancy Drew?!?" He looks at the paper again, looking puzzled. Geez, Nancy Drew? How original can one get? Poor kid. He stifles a laugh, which rewarded him an eyebrow raise from 'Nancy Drew' and eye rolls from the rest of the class. "You'll be reporting on the effects of the meteor shower that occurred here," he said.  
  
He continued and picked out another name from a jar and read the name out loud, "Lana Lang and." he picked another, ". Clark Kent" Lana turned to smile at Clark. "Hey partner!" she said. Clark shyly smiled back, obviously overjoyed.  
  
"So, I want you guys to report on the natural calamities that occurred here particularly the meteor shower and that huge tornado" he said unaware of Lana's tragic loss during the meteor shower.  
  
'Okay Lana. If this is a dream, now is a great time to wake up'. She pinched herself and winced. 'Okay, it's not a dream. This is not happening. I wish!!! Lana, you have to get over it, what's done is done. Move on.' Lana whispered to herself.  
  
Clark saw Lana tense in her seat and whisper things to herself. She didn't say anything to object, though, so he raised his hand.  
  
"Yes Clark?" Mr. Henderson asked.  
  
"Ummm, excuse me sir, but I don't think Lana would like that topic." Clark started, about to request his teacher to change the topic for Lana's sake. and for his sake, as well.  
  
"Mr. Kent, this is a report I'm assigning you not requesting you to do. I don't care about your personal life, etc," he said, not letting him finish and not getting the whole picture.  
  
"Clark, it's okay." Lana whispered turning to him, with tears she's desperately trying to hide with a fake smile.  
  
"Are you sure? You might want to have a different topic if you feel uncomfortable with it." Clark asked full of concern and seeing through her fake smile. He too was uncomfortable with having to report on the topic.  
  
"No, it's fine, really," she answered with a reassuring smile, which to him looked unmistakably sad.  
  
"Okay." Clark answered. "If you say so," he shrugged.  
  
Clark heard Mr. Henderson droning on the other's names. He was bored out of his mind and settled on staring at Lana's long, silky hair again.  
  
The bell, which signifies the end of the day, rang and students filed out of their classrooms. Lana walked out with Clark. "So, when do you wanna start that report?" Clark asked.  
  
"How about tomorrow? It's still due in three weeks. For the tornado, we were there. As for the meteor shower, maybe we can get newspaper clippings in the library and stuff and you know, interview people, and try to figure out why it really happened and what caused it," Lana finished, her voice soft and shaky.  
  
Clark uneasily nodded. He knew, with all his heart, the answer to the last question. if only he could tell, even at least his friends. Life would be better if they knew. They would understand him better. Lana would understand him better.  
  
Guilt overtook his body that it hurt. It was too overwhelming, even for him. 'I thought I couldn't get hurt. Isn't that one of my powers, immunity from pain? Then, why does this hurt so badly?'  
  
How could he do this? How could he do this to HER and cause her so much pain?  
  
He cleared his throat. "Lana, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow," he said uneasily.  
  
"Okay. See you, Clark." Lana answered, with a small smile.  
  
Lana met Chloe on the hallway and rode home with her. "So, your science teacher's Mr. Henderson too, right?" Chloe asked. Lana nodded. "But we're not on the same schedule" she said.  
  
"So, you have that report too, huh?"  
  
"If you're referring to the annoying report where we're grouped into pairs and given an annoying topic then, yes." she answered unenthusiastically. It was strange for Lana to be talking about a report that way because she was smart and she did well in things related to school  
  
"Hey, it's not that bad. I think it's gonna be fun." Chloe said with a small smile. "My report is on the bizarre things that happen around here. What's yours?" she asked.  
  
"The meteor shower." she said quietly. "You know, the one that killed my parents and left me without any." she continued obviously annoyed but more desolated, with tears effortlessly trickling from her almond eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry." Chloe muttered not knowing what else to say. After awhile, Chloe asked whom her partner was. Lana wiped her tears and smiled a small but genuine smile, probably the first smile from her after mentioning the report.  
  
"Clark" she whispered.  
TBC.  
  
A/N: This is short. I know and I'm sorry. Longer chapters next time. This is an ugly chapter. but I promise it's gonna get better, I have plans for this so please, please review. Give me tips and suggestions and stuff. crticize, whatever, even just leave your name and I'll be happy! 


	2. You're not alone

A/N: I got reviews. I got inspired. and here's the second chapter!!! Hope you guys like it.  
  
Thanks again to those who reviewed the first chapter:  
  
Lavenderangel: Thank you! beams and blushes This fic will get *angstier* Actually, this chapter is. LoL.  
  
Midnight Driad: Thanks for the suggestions! Good idea. I might include it in the future wink, wink  
  
jd burns: That's perfectly fine! Thanks for reviewing!  
  
CrAzYgUrL73089: Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
  
ElectricSpyro: oh. don't worry. this is going to be very CLANA! Hehe.  
  
shortie: Thanks! Hope you like this!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own them.  
Clark was seated on the couch in the Talon sipping his mocha frap. He was waiting for Lana to finish closing the store so they could get started with the report. He collected some newspaper clippings related to the meteor shower and was organizing it.  
  
"Hey," Lana interrupted. "Sorry, I took so long closing up. I had to wait for the couple seated on that end. Geez, I think they had a long argument or something," she said  
  
"No, it's fine. I was able to organize these references we need," he said with a smile.  
  
"Great!" she smiled back.  
  
She sat next to him and they started with their report. Clark was reading on meteor showers and meteorites. Lana was browsing through the clippings when she saw an article that had the list of people killed during the meteor shower. She saw her parents' names and everything became a blur as the tragic event replayed in her mind. Big meteorites were falling from the sky, some hitting the fields, some destroying the buildings and one killing her parents. She saw them die before her very eyes.  
  
She snapped back to reality and felt hot tears slipping from her eyes. She started sobbing.  
  
"Lana. shhh" Clark whispered in her ear as he rubbed her back trying to comfort her. She could see concern in his eyes as he tried to calm her down, whispering 'shhh' in her ear over and over. Lana calmed down and wiped the tears from her eyes.  
  
"I'm okay" she managed to say through her sniffling. She wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and took a deep breath. "You know, you're lucky to have parents who are always there for you. There always there to love you, to take care of you and even to bug you at times," she said with a weak smile.  
  
"Sometimes, when I dream of mine, that's when I become completely happy. I feel safe, but most of all. loved." she murmured, managing a genuine smile. "Sometimes, I wish I would never wake up but I realize that it would have to end. When I wake up. I'm alone and the life I wish I had was just a pigment of my imagination and nothing more," she finished sadly.  
  
He took her in his arms and whispered in her ear, "Lana, remember the first time you came to see me in my loft when you told me what Nell told you that life is about change, sometimes it's painful, sometimes it's beautiful, but most of the time it's both?"  
  
She nodded on his shoulder.  
  
"It hurts, but that's life. I wish I could take all the pain away from you but what's done is done. Remember that this happened because there may be something greater ahead of you. Look, you're smart, you're a great person and friend, you're very passionate with everything you do. and you're beautiful." He said, blushing.  
  
Clark's words made Lana blush scarlet. She looked him in the eye and saw nothing but honesty and sincerity. She was very touched with his simplicity and sincerity that instead of feeling sad, she felt happy. truly happy.  
  
"Life will get better, I promise." He truthfully whispered, stroking her hair and wiping the remaining tears from her eyes.  
  
He smiled. ".and Lana?" He lifted her chin so she could gaze into his eyes. He gazed into her weary but still beautiful green eyes, turned serious and whispered, "You're not alone."  
  
Lana smiled through more tears. She didn't want anything else but to be closer to Clark so she hugged him tightly and Clark happily returned the hug.  
  
"Thanks, Clark! Thanks for making my day," she whispered. "You always seem to know how to cheer me up with that Kent charm," she said with a smile.  
  
Clark smiled and kissed her cheek.  
TBC.  
A/N: It's short. again. Although I was inspired, I still had mild writer's block. You like? You don't? Please review, thanks! Comments and suggestions are welcomed. (",) 


	3. spring

A/N: Hi.Look who decided to continue the fic.I'm so sorry for the very, very, very long wait. Don't worry, if I get at least 5 reviews, I'll be posting the next chapter at once. I've actually written 3 chapters already but I was out of town and I didn't have Internet access. I'm really sorry. Please review.thank you!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters but I own the storyline. Haha!  
  
*  
  
The chaotic week before spring break has come at last; teachers piling up on homework, students eagerly waiting to bring about horrors on the world that was once peaceful because of.ahem, school.  
  
Finally, the last bell of the day rang with all its glory subconsciously unleashing the horrors of teen spirit. Students started scrambling out of their classrooms, crowding the halls and filling the air with laughter and cheer.  
  
"Hey Clark," Lana greeted as Clark finished up piling his books in his locker.  
  
"Oh, hey," Clark answered, slamming his locker shut before any of his books planned to fall off. Lana laughed at his silly antic and Clark flashed her a grin. They started walking through the hallway towards the door.  
  
"So, what are you gonna be up to?" Lana asked, inciting a conversation.  
  
"Umm, actually, I don't know yet," Clark says. "I wanna do something fun, something different," he finishes.  
  
"I know, me too." Lana smiles. "You know how the beaches will be jam- packed? I don't wanna go there and beaches are really far." Lana finished.  
  
"What do you think can we do?" Clark asked. "Spring Cleaning?" he jokes and Lana giggles.  
  
"Spring Cleaning? Did I just hear Clark Kent saying he would spend his vacation Spring Cleaning? Wow. you're a saint." Chloe chimed in eliciting a smirk from Pete who was beside her.  
  
"Hey, Chloe! Hey, Pete!" Clark greeted. "We were just thinking of what we can do over this lo0ng weekend." He says.  
  
"Yeah, that was actually our problem too." Pete said. "Maybe we can all just have a road trip or something." He suggested.  
  
"And? Where are we going?" Chloe asked.  
  
Pete shrugged obviously out of ideas.  
  
They waved their goodbyes, walked to the parking lot and piled up the school bus or went to their respective cars.or trucks.  
  
When Lana reached her car, there was a flier on the windshield. It was a flier advertising a new campsite. It said: 'Rosewood Camp.Wanna do something new and fun this spring? Come to Rosewood Camp. For inquires call 899-1990.'  
  
"Hey Clark, check this out" Lana shouted after Clark.  
  
Clark walked towards Lana and saw her holding a blue piece of paper. She showed him the paper and read it to himself. His face broke into a grin.  
  
"So, what do you think?" Lana asked with a smile.  
  
"Good idea" he answered returning the eager smile.  
  
"Hey, we can invite Pete and Chloe. They don't have any plans, right?" Lana asked.  
  
"That's a good idea! That would be fun. Tell Chloe when you get home and I'll tell Pete" Clark suggested.  
  
"Okay. This is gonna be so exciting!" Lana squealed like she's been morphed into a 6-year-old right then and there.  
  
"Why don't we meet up or something and plan our stuff." Clark said.  
  
"Yeah." She answered rereading the flier.  
  
She checked her watch. "Oh geez, gotta run. I have to go to the Talon and fix some papers," Lana said. "Oh, and about the meeting, let's meet up at the Talon tomorrow. That okay?" Lana asked.  
  
"Sounds great." Clark said with a smile.  
  
"So, I'll see you tomorrow, Clark." Lana said, getting on her truck.  
  
She waves to Clark before driving off.  
  
Clark starts walking home obviously psyched up by the suggestion of camping.with Pete, Chloe and especially Lana. He smiles to himself and superspeeds to Pete's house.  
  
*  
  
A/N:  
  
#1 First and foremost, I would like to give a shout out to those who reviewed my fic, thank you so0o much. It's very inspiring!  
  
#2 Okay. I don't live in a place with four seasons so I really don't know when spring is. haha. do you guys actually have a break? I'm so sorry I'm being an ignoramus right now.  
  
#3 Do you guys go through this phase where you really don't know where the fic is headed exactly? I don't know where this is headed coz one minute I have this really cool plot and the next, there's something new bubbling up in my head. Oh, well.  
  
#4 Okay, friends, please review. Tell me what you want to happen. Thanks. 


	4. i won't tell

A/N: Okay, new chapter as promised. . Even if I just have 4 reviews. Thank you so0o much to those who reviewed. Hope you like this.  
  
Wizard Inc- Thanks! I hope you'll like this chapter. Yeah, I know what you mean! I've been to San Francisco once to visit relatives and they brought me skiing, it was cool! I live in a Tropical country and that was my first time to experience snow, haha.. Anyway, hope you review this chapter!  
  
Electric Spyro- Gee, thanks! beams Thank you for the info on the spring thing and I'm sorry for being so ignorant, it's just that I'm so used to having 2 seasons. Oh, and I took your advice on writing fics before sleeping. I'm kind of an insomniac actually, and now, I can make use of my sleepless nights, haha.. Hope you review this chapter! By the way, I read your fic, Trepidation, and it's really cool, good job!  
  
AlexDaBoss- Thanks! To be honest, I also didn't know where this fic was headed until lately. I just finished organizing my ideas and it's wicked! Haha.. I think you'll just have to wait, find out AND review!!! Haha.. Just kidding! Well, review, at least. Yeah, flying? Good idea! I MIGHT add it, you'll just have to wait and see! wink, wink  
  
MP119- I'm sorry there's not that much Clana in this chapter, but I promise there'll be A LOT later on. Hope you'll like this chapter, please review!  
*  
  
Later that night.  
  
Lana, after a tiring shift at the Talon, walked up the steps of her home; well, Chloe's actually, but lately, that's what she considered it to be. She gazed longingly at the house, grateful to Chloe and her dad for inviting her to live with them after Nell left. She instantly became close to them and was considered family, which made Lana genuinely happy considering her history.  
  
After a while, she entered the house and was greeted by Chloe's dad.  
  
"Hi, Lana. How was your day?" Gabe asked.  
  
"Oh, good evening, Mr. Sullivan," she greeted. "It was hectic. The Talon was jam-packed. I think every one talked to each another and just planned to go there." She joked.  
  
Gabe laughed. "Okay, I'm gonna let you freshen up then. There's donuts in the kitchen if you're hungry." He said.  
  
"Thanks! Good night." she said.  
  
"Night."  
  
Lana climbed the stairs two at a time, excited to tell Chloe about their camping plans. She got to her room, freshened up, got in her pjs and knocked on Chloe's door.  
  
"Hey Lana," Chloe greeted as soon as she opened the door.  
  
Chloe jumped to her bed as Lana closed the door then sat next to Chloe.  
  
"oh yeah. a whole week off. I'm gonna make the most out of this!" Chloe said excitedly. "So what are you gonna do?" she asked.  
  
"Well, actually, that's what I want to talk to you about. Remember this afternoon when we were with Pete and Clark and we were thinking of stuff we can do?"  
  
"Uh, yeah?"  
  
"We thought, Clark and I, we could go on this camping thing. I saw this flier on my windshield about this campsite. It could be fun, you know." Lana said.  
  
"You and Clark?" Chloe asked, obviously jealous.  
  
"Yes, me and Clark ONLY, that's why I'm telling you." Lana said seriously, a hint of sarcasm evident in her voice. After a few seconds, she smiled and rolled her eyes, "No, silly. You, me, Clark and Pete. What do you think?" she asked, unsure.  
  
"Hmmm. That's unusual. I'm not a girl scout, but that sounds fun." Chloe replied.  
  
Lana grinned and showed Chloe the flier.  
  
"We're gonna meet up with Clark and Pete at the Talon tomorrow morning to plan our schedule and stuff," Lana said. "Okay, unlike you insomniac, I'm gonna go to sleep. 'Night Chloe." Lana said as she stood up.  
  
"'Night Lana." She replied.  
  
As soon as Lana was out of Chloe's room, Chloe looked at the flier again. She read it and was excited and curious at the same time. She switched on her computer, typed 'Rosewood Camp' and clicked the search button.  
  
Her excitement doubled when she knew more about the camp. According to a write-up, meteor fragments could still be found there. She continued reading the write-up and something written at the bottom caught her attention. It read:  
  
'There have been reported cases of people missing in this camp. There were bizarre things that happened that scientists predict may be due to the effects of the meteor shower that occurred over a decade ago. There have also been sightings of what was described as half-man, half-bat.'  
  
Chloe, reporter and all, was intrigued by it. She wasn't satisfied by write-ups. She wanted to be there and to experience that rush even if it seemed risky. She wanted to know more about the bizarre things and the so- called 'half-man, half-bat.' Wouldn't it be great to add it to her written report on Mr. Henderson's class? She'd ace it for sure if she'd have a report that good.  
  
'Uh-oh. One problem.' she thought. 'If I tell Clark, Pete and Lana, I'm betting they'd want to play safe and cancel the whole thing. What if.. I just don't tell them?'  
  
After a while, she switched off her computer and fell into a rather blissful sleep.  
  
*  
  
The next morning.  
  
It was early, the only sound to be heard were a few people talking in hushed tones and the dripping of the brewing coffee in the coffee machine. Chloe was seated on a chair in the counter sipping a latte and Lana was standing there seeing to it that every one had their orders. Pete walked in, yawned and smiled at the girls.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
"Hey," Lana and Chloe replied at the same time.  
  
"So, where's Clark?" he asked.  
  
As if on cue, Clark walked in and greeted them.  
  
They sat on a table as Lana served them some coffee.  
  
They were all so excited as they talked about their plans. They decided on the schedule, stuff, transportation and all those things people talk about when they go camping.  
  
"So, Monday morning.." Clark said.  
  
"This is gonna be so0o much fun!" Chloe said a little over enthusiastically, which rewarded her curious looks from her friends' faces. "What?" she asked.  
  
"Nothing, you seem so excited and all considering you're not an outdoor person." Lana smiled.  
  
"It can be fun, you know. I should learn to be able to bond with nature and see if there are weird.. Never mind." Chloe said almost informing them on her knowledge about the camp.  
  
"Weird what?" Clark asked.  
  
"Nothing." Chloe said way too immediately.  
  
Clark looked at her and sensed that she had something more to say. After a while, he just ignored the feeling because he thought, 'Hey, this is Chloe. The one who always tells us everything she knows..' The girl must just be really excited about the trip.  
  
"Just a sec, I can hear the espresso machine calling my name," Lana said with a smile as she stood up.  
  
Clark smiled back at her, well, at her back actually since she turned her back on them and started walking to the counter where the machine was.  
  
After a few minutes, Clark glanced at his watch, "Oh no, gotta go. I've got to do the chores meant for the whole week or else I'm not gonna be allowed to go." He said. He got up and walked to where Lana was.  
  
"Bye, Lana. I'm gonna go ahead" He said.  
  
"Oh, bye." Lana replied, looking up from the espresso machine.  
  
"Gotta do my chores. By the way, who's gonna takeover here while you're gone?" Clark asked.  
  
"Oh, no problem. I told Lex I'd be gone for the whole spring break and he said it was fine. He was able to find people to cover up." Lana said with a smile.  
  
"At once? That's great!" Clark said.  
  
"It is!" she answered. " For one whole week, I won't be here. I hope I don't miss it so much." She said as they laughed.  
  
"Okay, I really have to go, Bye Lana." Clark said  
  
"Bye. I'll see you!" Lana said with a smile.  
  
*  
  
Yay! Another chapter. A rather long one.. Haha.. Please review! Five reviews and I'll continue.. This is gonna get better, I promise. And of course, more CLANA to come!!! Hahaha.. 


	5. camp

A/N: Yay! New chapter! Thank you so0o much to those who reviewed especially to Electric Spyro...my devoted reviewer!  
  
*  
  
'Good morning Kansas! It's six am on a Monday morning!'  
  
Clark pressed the off button on his alarm clock and stood up. He was so looking forward to the day, well, the days to come... Three whole days of camping, fishing, hiking, etc with three of his favorite people in the world... make that, universe.  
  
He went down, opened the fridge and gulped down almost half a bottle of milk. He could almost hear his mom scolding him for that very unpleasant manner of his.  
  
-Flashback-  
  
"Clark, where did you get your manners?" Martha asked.  
  
"In a farm." He joked, a smile creeping to his face.  
  
-End of Flashback-  
  
He smiled at the thought then put back the bottle in the fridge. He went up, prepared himself and brought down his things (this happened in a matter of seconds) He sat down and patiently waited for Pete to pick him up.  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Pete's truck came honking. Pete's mom was driving so she could take home the truck and pick them up after three days. Pete's things were delicately arranged at the back. Clark stood up and waved at him. He took his large backpack and just dumped it with all the other things. He gestured a 'wait' to Pete and went back inside.  
  
"Mom, dad, I'm leaving," he shouted  
  
"Okay, take care, Clark" Martha said, giving him a hug.  
  
"Have fun, son" Jonathan added patting his back.  
  
They accompanied him to the outside and Clark hopped in the truck. "Morning, Mrs. Ross," he greeted.  
  
Jonathan and Martha waved at Mrs. Ross, Pete and Clark as they drove away to the Sullivan's.  
  
*  
  
On their way to camp...  
  
"Do people ever actually finish the song, 99 bottles of beer?" Clark suddenly asked, out of the blue.  
  
"That song is so0o annoying. It's pointless and pathetic." Lana chimed in.  
  
"99 bottles of beer on the wall, 99 bottles of beer..." Chloe started singing rewarding her a groan from the other three.  
  
Chloe smirked at them and continued singing.  
  
"I'm betting she's gonna stop when she gets to 50," Pete whispered to Clark.  
  
"I'm betting she'll finish the song," Clark whispered back, a tone of competition evident in his voice.  
  
"You're on," Pete said with a smile.  
  
When they FINALLY reached camp...  
  
"20 bottles of beer on the wall, 20 bottles of beer..." Chloe still sang, her voice a little softer.  
  
"So, according to the flier, we should park here and take a 45-minute hike to the campsite." Lana said, reading the info from the flier.  
  
They parked the truck as Chloe sang faster so as to finish the song before they went out. Clark had this big grin plastered on his face as Chloe reached the last bottle. Clark held his hand out and Pete gave him a 10.  
  
"You guys take care, all right? I'll be back for you in three days," she shouted to them.  
  
"Yes, Mrs. Ross. Thanks!" the three all shouted in unison.  
  
"Bye, mom. See ya in three days," Pete shouted.  
  
His mom waved to him and to the others, as she drove back.  
  
"Okay, I think we should take our bags and start walking," Lana said.  
  
She was about to grab her bag, when Clark took it.  
  
"I got it," he said.  
  
"No, it's okay. You have your own bag to carry and it'll get heavy in a while." Lana said, obviously unaware of Clark's 'hidden' powers.  
  
"No, it's fine, really." Clark said, with a smile.  
  
Lana smiled up at Clark, a blush slowly creeping in her face. "If you say so. But if it gets intolerable, tell me." Lana said, laughing a bit.  
  
Pete took one bag from Chloe.  
  
"Chloe, did you really have to bring your laptop?" Pete asked.  
  
"Yes... Haven't you figured out my essentials yet?" Chloe answered, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.  
  
Pete just playfully rolled his eyes. The foursome started following the trail to the campsite. Pete walked ahead with Chloe as they got into a conversation. Clark and Lana walked side by side as they suddenly started talking about their paper. (A/N: remember the first chapter?)  
  
A few minutes later...  
  
Clark started feeling queasy. He felt all his strength drain away. Suddenly, he felt the heaviness of the bags. 'Weird...' he thought. 'I'm not actually supposed to feel the heaviness of these bags even if I carry it for days...'  
  
Lana saw Clark suddenly act all weird. His jaw was clenched and he looked like he was ready to hurl. Lana got worried. 'Hello? He's Clark. Clark Kent. Man of Steel, so to speak. Why does he look like he's gonna puke any second now?' Lana thought.  
  
"Clark, are you okay? You don't look well." Lana asked, concern evident in her voice.  
  
"I'm fine," Clark said as he smiled the I'm-trying-my-best-to-look-fine smile.  
  
"Here, give me the bags," Lana said, getting the bags from Clark.  
  
"No, it's fine... really," Clark said but it was too late. Lana already took the bags from him.  
  
"You know, karate lessons really help build stamina," Lana said with a smile  
  
"Yeah," Clark muttered, voice strained. He was really feeling nauseated and 'yeah' was the only thing he can think of as reply.  
  
After a few minutes of trying to bear the wooziness, Clark suddenly leant on a tree for support. He started panting which caused Lana to freak. She dropped the bags and held Clark's arm, helping him balance.  
  
"Clark, what's happening?" she asked, feeling his forehead. "Your temperature's fine," she said. Now she's really, really worried.  
  
"Uh Pete, Chloe?" she called out.  
  
Pete and Chloe turned and rushed toward Lana and Clark.  
  
"Clark, man, you okay?" Pete asked.  
  
"Uh, Pete, can I talk to you for a sec?" Clark asked.  
  
Chloe and Lana moved away, Lana telling Chloe what happened.  
  
"Pete, I think there's green kryptonite somewhere here," Clark said.  
  
"Uh-oh. Not good. Think you could make it to the camp? It's around ten minutes away. When we get there, you can rest." Pete said.  
  
"Yeah, I'll make it, hopefully, I mean, there's no other way," Clark said.  
  
Pete took Clark's bag from Lana so Lana could help Clark. Lucky for Pete, the boy packed light.  
  
Lana took Clark's hand as sparks of electricity shot through her as her fingers entwined with his, but she tried her best to push the sensation away; this was serious. They continued walking to the camp.  
  
"C'mon Clark, you're gonna be fine," Lana said, concerned. She lightly squeezed Clark's hand.  
  
Clark smiled at her, a strained but genuine smile. He actually felt a little better.  
  
"That's it. No hurry. We're getting there." Lana whispered to him over and over as rubbed his tense forearms with her other hand as a comforting gesture.  
  
When they reached the camp, Clark got a whole lot better... thanks to Lana.  
  
"Okay, why is it so dark?" Chloe asked.  
  
*  
  
A/N: Uh-oh. Why is it so dark? Please review and I'll continue. This fic is dedicated to all you Clana shippers out there! Love the Clana.. Especially to Lavenderangel who requested Clark to be comforted by Lana... here you are, hope you enjoyed this! (",) 


	6. lana

Author's Notes: I am so0o sorry, this took me ages to put up….. I've been really busy with school and all the other stuff. Luckily, classes were suspended today….. yay! there's a storm or something Okay, here it is. Chapter 6…..   
  
*  
  
Chloe was right. It was dark. Were they the only people there? Talk about doing something unusual. They went to the first hut, which seemed to be the biggest one and found it deserted.  
  
Chloe looked around and suddenly felt guilty. She cleared her throat and started, "Umm….. guys, I kinda checked out this camp on the net and….. I found out that there were meteor fragments found here and people have been….. missing." She finished softly, looking down shamefully.  
  
Pete and Clark looked at each other.  
  
"Oh….." Pete said to Clark under his breath.  
  
"Great going, Chloe" Clark suddenly said, sarcastically. "We're all gonna get ourselves lost….. or even killed." Clark finished.  
  
Chloe got startled at his sudden reaction. Normally, sarcasm wasn't his style.  
  
"I'm sorry, okay. I didn't believe it at first," she muttered. Then she suddenly got angry, "And why are you so touchy? It's as if you cant save us all," she finished, with equally the same sarcasm as Clark.  
  
She walked away so as not to show the tears brimming her eyelids, ready to fall. Lana looked sympathetically at Clark, then followed Chloe and comforted her friend.  
  
Clark gave a sigh of defeat. "Pete, what are we gonna do now?" he asked.  
  
*  
  
"Chloe….." Lana said, trailing Chloe's strides with her own.  
  
"Leave me alone, Lana," she said wiping her tears away.   
  
"Chloe," Lana called again. She caught up with her and grasped her shoulder to halt her.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Chloe said facing Lana, her tears falling without pity.  
  
"It's okay, Chloe" she said hugging her best friend.  
  
"It's just that my journalistic instincts had to butt in. I'm sorry," Chloe said again wiping her tear-stricken face.  
  
"It's okay, Chloe. Really," Lana said again, giving her an encouraging smile. "I understand you. It's not your fault. Ready to head back now?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah….." she answered quietly. "I don't want us getting lost here," she said.  
  
They walked back to camp as Clark and Pete were gathering firewood. They sat around the fire with an awkward silence. Pete looking at Clark, who was avoiding Chloe's gaze, Chloe, who was sneaking nervous glances at Clark once in a while, and Lana looking at both Chloe and Clark the way he's doing at this instant.  
  
Lana sighed. "Clark, can I talk to you for a sec?" she asked, standing up.   
  
"Huh? Sure," he answered as he stood up as well.  
  
They walked to a quiet place, then Lana looked him in the eye through the darkness, "Okay, I cant stand that awkward silence going on a while ago," she said.  
  
"What silence?" Clark asked, acting dumb.  
  
"You perfectly know what I mean, Clark." Lana said, seriously. "You didn't have to get mad at her. She really doesn't want us to get into trouble. She-"  
  
"But she knew the whole time that it could be dangerous!" Clark cut in.  
  
"Yes." She admitted. "Look, you know Chloe, you know her more than I do and you know that she would never put the lives of her friends in danger. She's a dedicated journalist, that's it. She may have had a wrong decision in not telling us about it but it wasn't intentional and I bet she's regretting it right now." Lana said.  
  
"Okay. I get your point. I'll talk to her later, okay?" Clark answered.  
  
"Don't do this for me, Clark. Do it for you." Lana said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "I hate seeing you two like this." She said truthfully.  
  
Clark was touched with her sweetness and concern. He smiled at her and she smiled back.  
  
"I think we should head back now," Lana said.   
  
"Yeah." Clark answered. "…..and Lana?"  
  
"Hmmm?" Lana said, whipping around to face him.  
  
"Thank you." He answered simply, a soft smile playing in his lips.  
  
"For what?" she asked.  
  
"For talking some sense into me….." he started, his face slowly moving closer to hers. "…..for being a friend….." closer….. their eyes weren't breaking away from each other's "…..and for just being you." With that, their lips met in a short, sweet, innocent kiss.  
  
Their lips broke apart, never breaking their gaze at each other.  
  
"Was that answer enough?" she asked, with a small smile.  
  
"Oh yeah," he answered. They started grinning like fools. The grinning became giggling as they started walking back.   
  
Clark instinctively clasped Lana's hand, gently pulling her with him back to camp.   
  
*  
  
Author's notes: I'm sorry for making it short….. I don't know what else to write but I've already written the next chapter so….. motivate me to put it up! Review, Review, REVIEW! starts chanting.….   
  
Btw, thanks a lot to all those who reviewed! Your reviews really help… 


	7. hans

A/N: Ahem... after 100 years... Ahem... Not my fault! (I'm not kidding) Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter... I have no idea on what to do next. Oh well... please review!  
  
Lana woke up early the next morning, neck strained and back aching from the hard ground where they had slept on.  
  
'We should really have taken the effort to at least look for sleeping bags last night,' she thought bitterly.  
  
She was about to wake the others up but thought better of it when she noticed Chloe's position, one arm casually draped over Clark. 'Oh, so they must have finally made up last night.' She was happy that they finally made up but was feeling a twinge of jealousy at what she was seeing. She left, trying to forget the scene she just saw and started gathering twigs to be able to start a fire.  
  
After about 5 minutes, she had a handful of twigs and sticks and started rubbing them together.  
  
*** 10 minutes later ***  
  
Lana still hadn't made a single spark and was getting very pissed.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
Lana dropped the twigs in surprise. "Pete!! You nearly scared me to death!!" Lana exclaimed, exasperated. "Anyway, I was trying to start a fire. The only problem is," she started rubbing again, "nothing's happening."  
  
"Maybe I can help," Pete offered.  
  
*** 5 minutes later ***  
  
"I think we should wake them up," Pete suggested. "You know how Chloe wants to explore unusual things and places as soon as possible."  
  
"Okay. I'll wake them up," Lana replied. "You continue with that," she said, motioning to the twigs.  
  
"This always works on television. Why isn't it working now?" Pete whined.  
  
"Hey sleepyheads! Rise and shine!" Lana said in an annoyingly high voice.  
  
"Mmmm... What time is it?" Chloe asked.  
  
"About 8," Lana replied.  
  
"What?!?" Chloe jumped up. "How could I have overslept?! We should have been exploring by now! Urrggghhh!!!" Chloe exclaimed, frustrated with herself. She tried to fix her hair, straighten her clothes, fold up the cloak she slept on, and wake up Clark all at the same time, and, unfortunately, failing, making her more aggravated.  
  
"I'll wake up Clark," Lana offered. "Pete's there," she said, pointing to a very irritated looking Pete. "I think he needs some help with the fire for our food."  
  
"Sure," Chloe said, walking over to Pete. Lana could here her mumbling things like "what's so hard with starting a fire," and "I can't believe I overslept!" Lana just shook her head and started waking up Clark.  
  
"Clark... Cla-ark... Clark!" Lana said, sitting next to Clark. "Wake up, were going exploring."  
  
Clark didn't move, clearly still asleep and unaffected by Lana's order.  
  
"Urgghh... This guy could sleep through a storm!" Lana mumbled to herself. Lana touched his arm, clearly aware of the tingling sensation that spread through her, and stared shaking him gently.  
  
"Clark, wake up!" Lana ordered.  
  
"Five more minutes, mom..." Clark mumbled.  
  
"Clark, we're going to be late and Chloe's gonna kill us," Lana said, now shaking him vigorously.  
  
"Okay, okay, I'm up." Clark said sleepily. He stood up, and they joined Pete and Chloe, who, Lana noticed, have finally started a fire and were roasting some hotdogs, which Pete luckily forced them to bring.  
  
"Mmmm... Smells good!" Clark said, getting one.  
  
"So, you've finally made a fire," Lana said. "How'd you do it?"  
  
"Well, Miss 'I-can't-believe-you-didn't-bring-matches' here brought matches, so we used them," Pete said.  
  
"What?! It's true. You always have to bring matches on camping trips," Chloe said, clearly looking offended. "Why? Didn't anyone else bring?"  
  
"Well, we would have if you told us that there was a meteor shower that took place here, and it's possible that there are dangerous creatures and no one wants to be here," Lana argued, head filling with anger, remembering Chloe's position, one arm over Clark...  
  
"Even if there's no weird creature around, you still have to bring matches. Well, I would bring. Don't you know that's one of the most important things needed in camping?" Chloe asked. She sighed. "Let's just drop it. We've already wasted twenty minutes. We won't be able to see anything interesting if we don't hurry up."  
  
They all ate in silence; Lana shooting looks of hatred at Chloe, who, obviously doesn't notice them, as she was deciding if they would explore the spooky-looking village to see if there's anyone or anything intriguing there, or if they would go into the creepy yet interesting-looking forest; Clark stealing glances at Lana when she's not looking; and Pete thinking of Spongebob Squarepants wearing a ballerina outfit.  
  
* * *  
  
They were walking through the village, which they had passed on the way to the campsite. It was deserted, and there was an eerie silence that seemed to fill the whole place, which unnerved them.  
  
"It looks as though the last time somebody's lived here was in the year 1876 or something," Clark commented.  
  
"Yeah," replied Pete. "Aren't there any signs of life here, least movement? Except for us, I mean."  
  
"Shhh...," said Chloe. "I think I heard something from over there," she said, pointing to an old house at the side of a small dirt path. "Come. Let's see what made the noise."  
  
They silently walked toward the house, Clark and Chloe leading the way while Pete and Lana following behind. When they got to the house, they knocked on the door (they didn't find a bell... obviously), not really expecting a response.  
  
After a few minutes, still bothered by the previous sign of movement, they started walking around the house, peeping through small wall cracks and shattered windows. When nothing special was found, they went back to the front and Clark opened the door.  
  
The door gave a squeaking sound and the floor creaked under their weight as they walked and scanned the house. The house looked as though someone lived there or still lives there despite its untidiness. There were unwashed dishes in the sink, a pile of dirty clothes on a corner, a living potted plant and some miscellaneous objects on the floor.  
  
Lana and Clark went to one side of the house while Pete and Chloe went to another. Lana saw a wall with an old charcoal sketch of a man probably in his mid-50s with a girl who looked just a little older than they were. The sketch was beautiful with perfect contrasts of dark and light. The girl was so beautiful in the picture, a warm and genuine smile played on her lips as she stood beside the man who looked like her father. Lana was so transfixed with the picture-  
  
"Hey!" boomed a man's voice causing her to jump and grasp Clark's forearm. The man was the guy in the picture, minus the smile. His features seemed harder and his eyes bore fury and sadness. He carried a gun and was now staring at both of them.  
  
"What are you doing here?" he demanded.  
  
"We...uh... we..." Lana stuttered, nervous at what the man might do to the gun. Her grasp at Clark's arm tightened as she looked at Clark nervously.  
  
"Uh, we're really sorry to trespass at your property..." Clark started.  
  
"Yes! You really did!" the man answered impatiently.  
  
"But we were looking for people or anyone..." Clark finished uncertainly, not knowing what to say. 'It looks like he's the only living creature in this whole village,' thought Clark.  
  
Pete and Chloe were behind the man, sharing nervous glances at each other.  
  
"Umm..... Excuse me, sir," began Chloe. "We were hiking yesterday and we saw this village. We wanted to see if there was anyone who still lives here, but -" her voice trailed off.  
  
"But, it looks deserted," finished Lana, finding her voice. "Could you please tell us, I mean, if you know, where everyone is?"  
  
"Wouldn't find anyone here... just me. Well, used to be me and me daughter." The man said. His features softened a bit. The fury in his eyes was replaced by sadness. He put his gun down as they followed him to the kitchen area.  
  
The old man offered them water that they gratefully accepted. (A/N: I know he's a stranger and he could have poisoned it, but they were tired and thirsty.) The old man asked them to sit around the dining table, and sitting down himself, he said, "What do you want to know?"  
  
"Sir -" began Chloe.  
  
"Call me Hans."  
  
"Umm..... Hans, where are all the people, if I may ask?" asked Chloe. "You were the only person we saw after looking for over an hour in this whole village. Surely you're not the only one living here."  
  
"Well, you can say that again before the meteor shower." At this, Clark and Pete exchanged looks. Lana shifted uneasily on her chair and licked her dry lips, listening intently. "After the meteor shower, a few people died, and a lot of people got hurt. But the meteor shower wasn't the cause of their deaths; it was unknown. What made everyone leave was the legend of this half-man, half-bat," Hans said gravely.  
  
"Half-man, half-bat?" Chloe asked, intrigued.  
  
"Yes," Hans answered. "First, there were rumors. Some people believed it, but most thought it was nonsense. Gibberish. Balderdash. Garbage. I was the only one who believed it because I saw him with my own two eyes. One night, after collecting lumber for a cold night, I saw a big and I mean really big bat flying quite low. The next day, my friend's 19-year-old daughter was missing. She was never found." He finished.  
  
Lana had goose bumps all over her body and felt her hair rise. She sat a bit closer to Clark, trying to find comfort in him. Chloe looked somehow fascinated at the tale while Pete and Clark said nothing. It was difficult to believe him and they understood why the people thought it was garbage but hey, this is still near Smallville. Quite far from where they live, but still near. Anything can happen.  
  
"My daughter is also missing," he said quietly, as he took of the hat he was wearing and closed his tired-looking eyes. "She's been missing for 5 days. Every day, I look for her. I call her name but she doesn't answer." He said, looking defeated.  
  
"I'm sorry." Chloe said, sympathetically.  
  
"It's not your fault." He answered. "Just promise to be careful out there, ladies. It's real, very real. You don't want to get lost out here" He said. "You guys, take care of them." He said to Clark and Pete.  
  
"We will." Clark said looking at Chloe and Lana. Pete nodded in agreement.  
  
"So....." said Hans, standing up. "Would you mind eating lunch with an old man? I miss eating with other people, especially now that Amelia is gone," he said sadly.  
  
The four teens stood up and exchanged looks. Finally, Lana said, "No thanks, we've already caused you too much trouble. Besides, we just ate before coming here."  
  
'What?!? We just ate?! But that was 4 hours ago!' Pete thought. 'Well, she's right. We have already caused him too much trouble....."  
  
"We're really sorry but we still have a lot to do," Chloe politely refused.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Hans, disappointed. "Well, if you're sure, let me at least give you some food before you leave." By this, he went to the kitchen and returned carrying a plastic bag with some berries and nuts. "I picked these early this morning. There are trees and bushes near here that grow fruits and berries. That is where I get my food. Well, as you can see, there aren't any animals here that I can eat, and if there were, I wouldn't be able to catch them anyway," he said, shrugging. "I don't even remember what meat tastes like," he added as an afterthought.  
  
"Anyway, if you really have a lot to do, I think you should better go now," he said, leading them to the door. "Just remember, take care of yourselves."  
  
A/N: It sucks! I know! Now do your thing and review! Flame me... Sorry, not so much Clana... (don't worry, you guys are gonna love the next chapter!) By the way, thank you so0o much to those who reviewed! I greatly appreciate them! 


End file.
